Ratchet screw driver



A. L. AND E. B. TROUTMAN.

RATCHET SCREW DRIVER.

APPLICATION men MAY}. 1922.

1,431,901. Patented Obt. 10,192&

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ARTHUR L. 'TROUTMAIJ AND EDWARD IB. TROUTMAN, OF NORTHBESSEDIKER, PENN- SYLVANIA.

narcnnr scnnw DRIVER.

Application filed May 1, 1922. Serial No. 557,726.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that we,AIrr1-Ion L. Tnoo'r- MAN and llowann B. TROUTMAN, citizens of the United States, residing at North Bessemer, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Ratchet Screw Drivers, of whichthefollowing is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to ratchet screw drivers, and has for its objectto provide a device of this character having novel ratchet means permitting the screw driver to efficiently, drive a screw home or. remove the same.

It is another object of the invention" to provide a device of this character'havinga rotatable handle, each end portion ofthe handle being provided wit-h means for rotating the shank of the screw driver in one direction, said means being alternately operable.

It-is a fiuther object of the invention to provide adevice of this character including a rotatable handle having means at one end for rotating the shank in a step by step fashion in one direction, and means at its opposite end for withdrawing a screw, said means preventing accidental slipping of the handle when the screw is being unscrewed.

lVith these and other objects in view, the invention consists inthc improved construction and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter more particularly described, fully claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a view in elevation of a ratchet screw driver constructed in accordance with an embodiment of the invention, the handle being set for reverse rotation of the screw driver;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the handle set for driving ascrew;

Figure 8 is a section taken on the line of Figure 1; and

Figure a is a section taken on the line 4 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings, 3 designates the shank of a screw driver having the usual ieet 4t and a. squared central portion 5. A ratchet wheel 6 having a square bore is mounted on the squared portion 5 ot' the shank and is secured by any suitable means. It is of course obvious that this ratchet wheel may be formed integral with the shank if desired, as it is intended to move at all times with the shank. Projecting from the end portion 7 of the shank are pins 8, consisting of a rod passed laterally through the end portion 7 0t thehandlc, the end portions of the rod extending in opposite directions to provide the pins. In connection with the shank, a handle member Q'is provide l, said member having acentral bore 10 adapted to receive the upper end portion 7 of the handle, the handle being rotatableon the shank. The face '11 of the handle is provided with a series of ratchet teeth 12 adapted at times to interlock withthe teeth of the ratchet wheel. 6 to rotate the shank in one direction, for instance, when the screw is being forcedinto the work. In the use oi? this device a spring is not necessary, as the hand oi? the operator constantly urges the handle member 9 in engagement with theratchet wheel 6. If desired, instead of a ratchet movement the screw driver can be used the same as a fixed handle screw driver without the adjustment of the parts. The distance between the ratchet wheel (5 and the pins 8 of the shank is greater than the length of the handle member 9, so as to permit longitudinal movement oi the handle member when it is desired to change the rotation oil? the shank.

The end portion 13 ot the handle is reduced to provide a shoulder 14, the extremity of said reduced portion having a series of teeth 15. said series extending in the same direction as the series of the ratchet wheel (3. Each of the teeth 15, however, substantially bayonet-shaped in that a recess 16 is provided by undercutting the bill 17 oi each tooth, so that said bill serves as a stop, the hack of each tooth being rounded to guide the pins 8 into the recess of the adjacent tooth.

"lo protect the hand of the operator, a cap 18 is provided. said cap extending over the end 7 ot' the shank and the end port-ion 13 of the handle, into engagement with the shoulder 14 of the handle, so that the hand of the operator does not come in contact with the ratchet teeth 15. This cap may be threaded or otherwise secured, so as to permit the same to be readily removed.

in the operation oi the device. when it is desired to drive a screw intothe work, the handle member 9 is moved lmigitudiini-lly of the shank so as to cause interlocking engagement of the teeth 12 with the teeth of the ratchet wheel 6, whereupon the handle may be rotated, and returned to again grip the teeth or may be constantly rotated as described above. Should it be desired to unscrew or remove the screw, the handle is moved longitudinally of the shank away from the wheel 6, so as to permit the pins 8 to engage the teeth 15 by entering the recesses 16. In view of the bills 17 of the teeth 15 it is possible to exert considerable pressure upon the head of the screw which is necessary to start the screw on its unscrewing movement, in view of the fact that the inner face of each bill engages the pin and temporarily prevents disengagement ot' the pins from the teeth until this is desired by the operator. The unscrewing movement may be accomplished in the ratchet fashion the same as the screwing movement by simply moving the handle downwardly after each turn so as to permit disengagement of the pins from the bills of the teeth. If desired the handle may be rotated similar to a fixed handle by holding said handle in engagement with the pins.

- rom the foregoing it will be readily seen that this invention provides a novel form of ratchet screw driver capable of being operated by a handle for rotation of the screw driver in either direction or for use of the screw driver similar to that of a fixed handle screw driver. The rod of the pins is removable so that if necessary the handle member 9 can be readily disengaged from the shankfor cleaning or repairs if necessary. Notwithstanding the fact that the screw driver is provided with a pair of ratchets it is compact and simple in form, one of the ratchets being concealed by the use of the cap, while the opposite ratchet practically forms a shoulder to be engaged by the end portion 11 of the handle member, These advantages are possessed by a tool which may be constructed in three pieces, namely, the shank including the ratchet wheel, the handle member and the pins.

What is claimed is r -A-. ratchet screw driver comprising a shank, a ratchet wheel carried by the central portion of the shank, a handle loosely mounted on the shank, one end face of the handle having ratchet teeth arranged to engage the ratchet wheel of the shank, ratchet teeth projecting from the opposite end of the handle, each of said teeth having .a recess disposed beneath the bill of the tooth, and pins carried by the adjacent end of the handle and adapted to enter said recesses to hold the handle in engagement with the pins upon movement of the screw driver in one direction.

In testimony whereof we hereunto allix our signatures.

ARTHUR L. TROUTMAN. EDWARD B. TROUTMAN. 

